Corn planter



Spt. 20, 1932. g. MUELLER 1,878,833

CORN PLANTER Filed March 26, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheetv l INVENTOR wxTNl-:ss v Edward /Vzze/er .Bh/MM Y@ ATTORNEY Sept. 20, 1932. E. MuELLER 1,878,883

CORN PLANTER Filed March 26, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IZ: IE/

E. MUELLER Sept. 20, 1932-.

CORN PLNTER Filed March 2s, 1951 s sheets-snm s WITNESS ATTORNEY Sept, 2o, 1932. E. MUELL'ER A ,878,883

coRN PLANTER Filed March 26, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESS l INVENTOR l Edward Mzzeir TTORN EY E. MUELLER Sept. 20, 1932.

CORN PLANTER Filed March 25, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR igzard/KZEZZKP ATTORNEY h maintained irrespective of Patented Sept. 20, 1932 EDWARD MUELLER, or ALMA/WISCONSIN.

f CORN Arrfiaititnn Application filed March 26, V19731.` Serial No. 525,553.

This invention relates to corn planters.

A primary object of the invenion is to so construct'a machine ofthis character that a desired and runiform planting depth `may be irregularity in the surface of the seed bed. f Y I Another object is toavoid the passage of the supporting wheel over the planted rows and to so construct the machine that the f3 weight of the fertilizer attachment, the operator and in fact of the entire-machine, is carried by the .supporting wheels thereby reliev-` ing the furrow opener of weight. Y I

Still another object is to provide a planter which will form a ridge instead of a depresi sion over the seed wherebyharrowingwill readily break the crust and permit the sprout-V ed seed to emergeand the surrounding earthV to become mellow and warm. f Another obyect is to so construct a machine of this characterrwhich is simple and Vcomparatively inexpensive to manufacture and i er embodying this invention;

in which'all chains and gears are eliminated avoiding breakage and repairs incident j thereto.

In carrying out these objects, the inven-4 tion is susceptible of a wide range of modi-V fication without departing from the spirit for sacrificing any of the advantages of the claimed inventon; there being shown in the drawings for illustrative purposes a ferred and practical form, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pre- ' Fig. 2 isa side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the planting mechanism and the associated parts;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation withI parts broken out for convenience in illustration;

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the clutch carrying rod with 4parts broken out. Fig; 6 is a detail horizontal sectionl taken Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevationof the clutch with parts broken out;

Fig. 8 is a detail sideelevation Yof the drop- Ping valves; and v y Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

In the embodiment illustrated a corn plant#` corn planty mally turns with sleeve 3b 'on the revolution of the wheel 2a and'is provided with an suitable wheels 2 and 2a connected by a hol.

Y low axle 3.v Both wheels turn freely on axle 3.

Extendinglaterally from the side members of the-main frame 1 are two auxiliary'frames 4 and 5 designed to .support the seed and fertilizer hoppers 6 andthe parts cooperating therewit Y r Y T Extending through the hollow axle 3 is a triprod or'shaft 10 which projects beyond theu ends ofthe hollow axle and has one of such projecting ends Vmade square as shown at 11 in Fig. 5. This squared portion is designed to'receive and hold against turning certain par-ts presently'to be described.` A trip arm 13 is fixed to end 11 of rod lOvand isl bifurcated to receive a knotted actuating K er frame 1 is shown which maybe of any l `suitable or-deslred construction, mounted'on wire lor cable'll which when a knot 15 thereof engages said arm will operate to exert Va .f. pull onsaid arm and slightly turn the shaft 10 for la purpose presently to be `more .fully described. This cable or wirelll is similar to those ordinarily used in check row corn plant-ersf'and is operated in thesamejmanner'being wound on a drum, not shown, to causeA itsr longitudinal .movement relatively tothe trip for operatingl it.

Fixed' to a sleeve 3b which extends outwardly from the hub of the wheel 2a and mounted on'ahollow axle extension 3a, is a clutchmember 16 here shownmade integral with sleeve 3b. This clutch member 16 norannular Y, laterally extending f vinternally toothed -iiange 17V` with which isengaged a' spring pressed dog or pawl 18 mounted on a shaft l19 whichextends through the clutch member 20. This clutch member 20 is fixed -on the shaft extension 3a sothat when said construction provides for the turning of saidV l chargetube 36 for carrying the seed and discharging it into the delivery Vmemberk 60 which deposits the seed adjacent the furrow opener 37. A similar discharge tube 36a conducts the fertilizer from -thering -33 and the fertilizer discharges` in advance of the seed onto a deflecting member 7 2V shown clearly in Fig.' 9, whereby the fertilizer is placed around-the seed and not in direct contact with it. Y

The furrow opener 37 is lpivotally connectedl at its upwardly curved'end to va Vdepending lug'Y 38 carried by theA framev 1v of the machine as is shownclearly inA Fig. 3. Thisfurrow opener `or shoe 37 as shown is made similar to a sleigh runner and the :free

' rear end 39 is connectedv by a rod 40 with ya bell crank lever 50 fulcrumed onr the framef 1. This rod is slideablymounted in a lug 40a carried by lever 50 and has-a'nut 40?; onV its end above said lug.,1 A coiled spring 41 encircles .the rod 40 and bears at its opposite ends against the lever 50 and the opener 39 toform a yieldable lconnection between-the furrow opener and the4 lever. The upstanding arm 51 ofjthe lever 5() has a spring pressed dog 52 designed to engage the teeth of asegmental rack for locking the lever in adjustedposition such as is ordinary with Vde*-V vices of this kind. This leverV is located in properrelation for they operator so that he may adjust the furrow opener to the desired depth. It is to be understood that two furrow openers located at opposite'sides of the machine are operatedindividuallyby a separate lever so .that when plowingon a hillside the operator may vbe able Ato plantall rows at an even depth. The Vfurrow'` opener being locatedparallel with and close to oneof the planter supporting wheels provides 'for the planting of the seed ata uniform depth since the opener being so positioned does not come out of they ground whenpassing through a depression nor go down too'deeply when go- 'ing over a knoll.

` vA dog 21 is carriedby the outer end fof shaft -f19and asshownclearly in` Figs.,4, 6`and7V eXtends in a Ydirection opposite the dog 1.8v

and lies in the path of aclutch actuating member 24. Thismember 24is made in the Y form of apair o-fspaced disks 22 andf23 fixedly mounted on a h'ub'24a which is vheld against turning but mounted'to. slide fonitheV polygonalend 11of lthe inner shaft `or lrod l()l as is shown clearlyin Figs. 5 and 6. These disks S22 and 23 arek provided respectively von their opposed faces withV laterally extending sets of rollers 25 and 25a one or the other Y of which sets are designed to be positioned at the will of the operator in the path of the dog 21 'for apurpose presently to bedescribed. Y

The inner disk 22 has two rollers provided at diametrically opposite points while the outer disk 23 hasthree equally spaced rollers, those The hub 24a which carries the disks 22and v 23vp`roject's at its outer end beyond disk 23 deposits it in advanceof the seed discharged by the tube 36. A distributing valve "for' and has `fixed thereto a grooved member to receive a' fork or yoke 27 of a clutch shifting Y lever 28 mounted to operatetransversely of the machine but longitudinally in relation to the shaftlO.

This lever 28 is fulcrumed intermediate its 'ends ona suitableISuppOrt, bracket 29 being here showin This lever 28 has the usual dog 28a designedto interiockingly engage onevof three notches 30d, 30?) or 300 formed in an l arcuate'rack 3()v 'wherebyzthe position of the clutch actuating membern24 maybe con-A Atro'lled at the will of the. operator, and the roller carried disks A22-and 23 shifted rela.-

tively to thedog. 21 so' that the clutch wil-l be thrown in either twice or three'times on each revolution of the wheel2a according to the rollerpositioned in the path of dog 21.' As shown in Fig. 4 the threeA notches'Oa, 301), and 300 designed to receive the locking dog 1 28a holds'thedever'v in adjusted position so that the dog 21 may be engaged either with the two rolier Adisk orrthree roller disk or placed in neutral between'them and not engagedwith either.

When this occurs the spring pressed pawl or dog118 .will snap into engagement with the yteeth on the flange 17 of yclutch member 16 and, thus turnV the seed and fertilizer rings to cause/them to deposit the ,seed and fertilizer into their respective' distributing valves.V c

It is to be understood that when the clutch memberf16' revolves it will through the dog 18, andshaft19, move dog21 which willwhen it engages one of the rollers on' the diskposi- 'tioned in its path operteto throwV the dog 18 out of engagement with ,the clutch .member 16 v and vthus stop the movementof the seedx and' l it] fertilizerY rings until the'nextknot 15 .iii the V operation will be repeated. It .underf stood that the l'spacing of the knots Y15 on the Vcable 14 regulates the distance betw'eenthe -cable14engagesthe trip shaft 13, when the- When it is desired to drill the corn the clutch controlling member 24 is shifted by means of the lever 28 to so position it that the dog 21 will not contact the rollerson'either disk 22 or 23 and it will be held in this neutral position by engagement of the dog 28a with the central notch 305 in the Vrack 30 as shown clearly in Fig. 4. `When the parts are in this position the seed and fertilizer rings will ro tate continuously and thus deposit the seed in drills with the fertilizer arranged along side it. The seed and fertilizer dropping elements and 70 carried by the lower end Y of the tubes 3G and 36a normally rest on l; drop onto the ground. This is accomplished by means of an arm 13a which forms an extension of the trip lever 13 and is connected by a lever 62 fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a bracket 63 carried by the furrow opener Y* arm 42 is shown clearly in Fig. 8. This lever 62 is connected at its other Vend by a link or bar 64 with the dropping elements or boxes 60 and 70 so that when said bar is shifted these elements will be simultaneously7 moved. nection with the bar 64 and also with the lever arm 13a to provide for the raising and lowering of the furrow opener without breakage of the parts carried thereby.

It will thus be seen that the dropping elements 60 and 70 are reciprocated when one of the knots 15 on the cable 14 moves the Vtrip arm 13.

Seed covering devices 43 are shown in connection with the furrow opener arms 42,

j. soil of the rows become mellow and warmer.

one being arranged at each side of the machine and these covering devices are in the form of concave disks carried by brackets 4 4 attached to the runner-shaped members or arms 42 pivoted to the furrow opener 37 at one end and attached by a rod 13a to the trip arm 13 as shown clearly in F ig. 3. This concave seed cover 43 being placed at an angle will form a ridge for the seed instead cfa depression which is especially desirable when dragging or harrowing a field. Formation of a ridge by the disk 43 adapts the rows to be vreadily harrowed and the crust broken so that the spouts may come through and the If a depression is formed over the seed bed the harrow does not reach the bottom of the depression and so cannot do a perfect job which is very necessary after heavy rain, shortly after planting, especially on heavy soil. r

The fertilizer .and seed hoppers 6 are fastened to the frame of the planter just above the fertilizer and corn planter plates and are secured in such a manner that these plates run The lever 62 has a pin and slot con`V inside ,theV respectivexhoppers or. vcompartments, the; seed: compartments being numbered l 6a' and the fertilizer? compartments 6b. Arranged -fbelow thefertilizer distributing valve70 isa'divider ondeflector 72 whichl extends through openings 7 3 in the sidewalls of they member 42 so that fertilizerV is i de-y posited-on both sidesl of a ASeed hill without contacting the kernel.-

' It will thus be seen that the seed dropper valve 6() is normally closed atfthe bottom V.by plate Gland the fertilizer dropping valve is closed by the plate 71 and when in this position they are ready forreceiving thekernels and fertilizer.droppedthrough the respective tubes 3,6 and 36a. Then .whenv a 4knot 15 on cable 14'contacts the trip arm 13 itzwill exert a pull on ,this arml and through the rod or. extension 13a of the Vlever13 will? exert a slight' piu-ll which is transmitted through the lever 62and bar v64 aand pushesback thevalves l' 60 and 70into thedotted line position shown in Fig. 8. When inthis position these valves ,Y move away from theplates 61 and.71 andpermit Vthe kernels and fertilizer to drop into the furrow prepared for them."v The ferti-v lizer valve vbeing vlocated `directly in advance.

of the seed Y valve operates simultaneously therewithand yas explainedabove the fertilizer is ldeflected by the divider .721 s0 that the. fertilizer lwillbe deposited on opposite sides of a hill" without contacting Ythe seed. The cover 4'3 thenoperates inthe manner above described tocover. theseed and fertilizer and vform the desired ridges Y Then it is desired to transport the planter from lieldto field or tomove it without operating the planter mechanism the-.lever 51 is operated to raise the barf39 and the parts connected there-with so that they will not contact the ground and it is locked in ,adjusted position by the dog'52 engaged teethV 45. The lever 2,8 is also placed in neutral position and the cable 14 is disconnected from the lever 1 3.

The lever 13 isreturnedto its normal 0r starting position by a spring 100 having one end secured to the bracket 63 while the other 64. Thus it will be seen that the spring will tend at all times to move the members 60 and 70 to their normal inoperative position and likewise .return the position;

I claim:

1. In a seed planter, a frame, seed dropping mechanism, lwheels supporting said frame, a hollow axle on which said wheels are free to turn, a shaft extending through said axle and rotatable therein, said axle having an extension beyond one of wheels, sion having a sleeve extension on its hub, a clutch mechanism fixed to said hub extension to turn with said wheel, a cooperating with the rack lever 13ato its normal i .end of said spring is connected to the link Y .clutch memberlfxejd to said :ho1lovv'axle5 fa pawl carriedby -said axlecarried clutch memberzand adapted to engage the hnbcar-v ried Vclutch member,l means on saidshaft to control the engagement and disengagement A of the paWl and the consequent actuation of the seed dropping mechanism, and means for A- d automatically. operating said pavvl controlling means. f

2. Ina: seed planter, a frame,'wheels supi porting said frame, a hollow axle mounted to rotate in said frame, said Wheels being l free to turn kon said axle, a shaftextending is through said axle and rotatable therein, said 1 operation ofjsa'id droppingV -mechanis'm5n shaftextending beyondsaid axle at its end, seed dropping means carried byi said axle end, clutch A mechanism Vforcontrolling the means 'slid'able'on 'said shaft end and tarn-v able `with said shaft to control the dropf pingmechanism, and automatically operated means Jfor controlling saidshat carried means.

35111 afSeed-fialainter,v a "fme Seeed drop' ping mechanism, lWheels supporting said frame, a hollo'vv axle on which said Wheels i are" free totnrn, arshaft extending through vsaid axle and rotatable therein',v Vsaid axle having an extensionbeyond one of said Wheels', the vWheels adjacent isaid Vaxle extension having a sleeve, a clutch mechanism fixed to said sleeve to turn With'said Wheel, a cooperating clutch 'member lixed tovsaid hollow axle, means carried by said axle carried clutch member andV adapted to engage the sleeve carried clutch member, means on said shaft to control the engagement and V'disengagement of the means ony saidiaxlecarried clutch member vand the 'consequent actuation of theseed dropping mechanism, and means for operating said llast "mentioned means. l Y

' Epl/YARD MUELLER.` 

